Good music in video games has the ability to turn an okay experience into something truly epic. What I want to look at are the soundtracks from RPGs throughout the history of video games and give you guys, what are in my opinion, the five best soundtracks of all time.

5. Pokémon Red & Blue

I don’t think the guys at Game Freak could have done a better job with these games’ soundtracks. Every single track is placed at all of the right moments in the game. From the title screen track that just sounds like adventure. To the eerie Lavender Town piece that is so chilling that has been the basis of various folk legends about how the music has prompted multiple Japanese children to commit suicide. The music in these games does nothing but further the immersion and enhance the atmosphere of an already outstanding game.

4. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

This soundtrack just screams “ZELDA!”; it would never work in another game because of how well meshed this game’s OST is with its game. Each track is simple, yet it conveys exactly what is going on around the current part of the game where the player finds themselves. There’s also a bizarre quality to each of the tracks that really just echos the equally bizarre nature of the game itself. This game’s soundtrack truly couldn’t be much better if it tried.

3. Shadow of the Colossus

Boss battles galore, and what makes boss battles even better? Truly epic music to go along with them. Which is why Shadow of the Colossus makes this list. These tracks did more than just enhance the gameplay or the atmosphere of the game. No, this music made the player feel anticipation and trepidation, helplessness and achievement, . These tracks are ominous, yet they oddly feel that they hold a sense of hope embedded somewhere within the rhythmic verses and various crescendos. The music was calm when it needed to be, it was loud and demanding when the time called for it, and most importantly it felt right. This music did more than just echo the world around it, it made you believe it was apart of it.

2. Kingdom Hearts

Just listen to that song. If you don’t have chills running up and down your spin throughout the entire thing, I don’t know what to tell you. The Kingdom Hearts soundtrack is an absolute masterpiece, but what puts it above the rest of the soundtracks on this list is its ability to provoke the emotions that the scene for at the time. I remember playing through this game, finally beating it, and during the final cutscene just crying when the music started playing. Not to mention all of the Disney inspired songs fit perfectly within each world and each world has an extremely distinct style of music. Not only is this soundtrack fantastic, it’s also incredibly diverse -- something that the other soundtracks on this list had lacked.

1. Final Fantasy XI

Yes, I know Final Fantasy VII had “One-Winged Angel”, and that song is absolutely amazing. Luckily for you, you can find it in Kingdom Hearts so fret not; I did not forget that masterpiece on this list. While FFXI may not have been the best received Final Fantasy iteration, it had the best soundtrack bar none. Give a listen and you’ll understand why. Each track is more than music; it’s more than enhancing gameplay or simply fitting into the world. While it does all of those things incredibly well, each track also tells a story. Nobuo Uematsu composed this soundtrack, and there is not a single weak piece on it. It is a masterpiece, and it is perfection, thus taking number one on this list.

So what do you guys think? Do you agree? Do you Disagree? What are some of your favorite soundtracks from RPGs? Be sure to leave some love in the comment section below!

Mike Morrissette is one of MONG’s Editors. He also has an unhealthy obsession with The Green Lantern and anything involving Nutella. You can follow him on twitter, or friend him on PSN at HaughtyPride.

MMOs have always been my favorite genre of games; expansive worlds, swarms of people, and constant renovation of the game all create an experience that is unlike anything that can be found in a single-player game. Can all games be turned into MMOs? No. However, there are some games that really lend themselves to the genre. So, I thought of five games that should be turned into MMOs.

5. Bioshock

Bioshock has created a huge and expansive world, and with the multiple-universe plot twists that were implemented in Bioshock Infinite, could there be a universe where Andrew Ryan or Comstock’s plan came to fruition? Allowing for the game to come out of the water, or down from the air, and onto the natural world, it could allow for some interesting ideas. Keep the first person style; keep most of the controls (allow for easier switching between Vigors [Plasmids], and guns); keep the atmosphere. Throw in a larger open-world, but maybe throw time travel into the mix and make Columbia and Rapture raid-type encounters.

It would be awesome if it allowed players to pick a faction to join. Maybe in one universe Comstock and Andrew Ryan both exist at the same time, and you the player has to pick a side, or maybe there’s an underground resistance faction. Who knows, the possibilities are endless! I love this franchise and I think a well executed MMO, could really flesh out its lore even more, and make for some really interesting gameplay experiences.

4. inFAMOUS

The Ray Sphere goes off and a bunch of people begin to come into their dormant powers. I want to be one of them! Sure DC Universe Online is your typical superhero MMO, but inFAMOUS could give a totally different twist on the genre. The idea about inFamous that I like the most is that the people who have these superhuman powers were once just your average people. They have fallacies, and they’re easy to identify with. DCUO tried to mix this idea into its game, but I think inFAMOUS could pull this off with a little more finesse and style.

As far as gameplay goes, I would have everyone pick one main power, and then one power that they minor in, think along the lines of Final Fantasy XI main/sub job system. This would allow for some creative combinations of powers, and would give everyone an unique playstyle. This would also force the developers to flesh out the already existing powers and to provide some new ones for further variation, which would be absolutely amazing.

3. Borderlands

Borderlands is basically already an MMO, it’s just missing all the people running around. Buy a few servers, load Borderlands 1 and 2 maps onto it, and just let people go crazy. It’s boggling that this hasn’t already become an MMO because I’m sure it would be incredibly well received on the new consoles.

2. Kingdom Hearts

How awesome would this be? Imagine a Kingdom Hearts game where you are the protagonist and you get to wield your personal designed Keyblade. In the events before Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep, there was “The Great Keyblade War” where thousands of Keyblade Warriors battled for the Xblade. If that many Keyblade Warriors once existed why can’t they again? With each iteration of the franchise, more and more Keyblades are presenting themselves, so why can’t there be thousands of Keyblades sometime in the future?

I could see this game functioning like the original Guild Wars where there were city hubs, where all the players could gather and trade items, but they would be required to split into small groups to participate in instanced dungeons. I would keep the classic Kingdom Hearts battle system, just instead of Donald and Goofy by your side, there would be other Keyblade Warriors. This could also be an amazing action PvP MMO; maybe the Keyblade Warriors have to train in arenas against one another. How cool would that be? Throw some Disney into the mix, and you’ve got a winning recipe for a fantastic MMO.

1. Pokémon

We all saw this one coming, as it is probably the most vocalized by the fan base for an MMO iteration. One could argue that the games have been inching their way towards this idea for some time. With each new installment of the franchise, the accessibility of trainer-to-trainer interaction has become easier and easier. Ten years ago, to battle against or to trade with another person you not only needed a friend with the game (or just a friend in general), you also needed a link cable. Now battling and trading is only gated by a quick button push and a file save.

Imagine an open world Pokémon game, that allowed for all trainers to connect to a server and play together. A good addition might be a battle timer, something akin to Final Fantasy X-2 that way decisions would have to be made a little quicker when battling against other people. Aside from that, Pokémon has always been an innovative franchise and they have yet to steer their fanbase wrong, so I assume that if a Pokémon MMO could be made, and made correctly, Game Freak are the guys to do it.

So what do you guys think? Do you agree? Do you disagree? Be sure to leave some feedback in the comment section below!

Mike Morrissette is one of MONG’s Editors. He also has an unhealthy obsession with The Green Lantern and anything involving Nutella. You can follow him on twitter, or friend him on PSN at HaughtyPride.

Every so often I am reminded that fans of games can do equally amazing things as well as those who produce them. Whether it be drawings, musical scores, videos, or fanfiction; sometimes truly amazing works of art, and labors of love can come about.

The mysterious user who goes by BlueNctrn on Youtube is anonymously creating some absolutely fantastic music. Recently I came across his takes on some potential Kingdom Hearts 3 sound tracks involving the movie 'Frozen'. While nothing substantial has been released about Kingdom Hearts 3 as of late, that surely doesn't stop some of the most dedicated fans from firing up their imagination.

Give this a listen.

It sounds legit right? It is so authentic sounding, and that also happens to be the case with some of his other pieces of work.

Such as...

Colors of the wind. Freakin' Colors of the Wind remixed with such finesse, I have been listening to this on repeat for the last hour.

Bluenctrn, whoever you are, keep up the phenomenal work and I can't wait to hear some more of your masterful creations!